Did You Say Uzumaki?
by Eternal Thief
Summary: Jiraiya searches for the one named Uzumaki Naruto, but finds so much more. A touching tale of the humanity that strings us all together. A OneShot about Romance, Our Friends, and Everything that connects us. I would recommend reading it. 3/10: Minor Fixes


Did you say Uzumaki?

A/N: Yes I did. Have you seen him? Welcome to my second OneShot. This one was done as a promise for hitting 40 possible story ideas. This one follows Jiraiya as he looks for a certain blonde ninja. This story is going to be one of my longest oneshots. After this I will be working on finishing the second chapter of the Legacy of the Kitsunes: The Missing Blood.

March 10th: Minor spelling and Grammar mistakes corrected.

---Start---

Jiraiya landed in the streets of Konohagakure. Normally he would have been anxious to skip along to the bath houses for a good few hours of peeping. But not this time. Jiraiya was looking for someone. Now, Jiraiya wasn't looking for just anyone, Jiraiya was looking for one Uzumaki Naruto. Konoha's number one most unpredictable ninja and resident Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. And that, is where we find Jiraiya. Looking for Naruto.

Jiraiya walked to Naruto's apartment. He knocked on the door expecting an answer. There was no reply. Jiraiya quickly grew annoyed. He focused chakra to his leg before kicking the door in with a yell of "Yatta!" Jiraiya stepped inside the empty apartment. He looked around and was shocked by how… _sterile_ everything felt. It was like there was no life to any of the objects in the apartment. Jiraiya walked to the kitchen area his footsteps echoing eerily on the soft carpet. He looked at everything. The refrigerator hummed gently in the darkness. Jiraiya reached over and flipped on the light switch.

"Gah! What the hell…" The light bulb had suddenly burst. Jiraiya looked down at the pieces of glass that littered the floor. Each one like a small piece of someone's soul. Shattered by a sudden jolt of reality and scattered across desolate scenery. Jiraiya opened the humming refrigerator. It was bare except a small black pot covered in plastic wrap and a half empty gallon of milk. Removing the pot Jiraiya peeled back the wrapping before reeling backwards in disgust. It was a pot of half eaten ramen. It was turning into a gray sort of slop, form its current state of something green and furry. Jiraiya threw the pot into the sink and pulled out the gallon of milk. The milk's green tinge told Jiraiya not to open it. Jiraiya slowly put it back and closed the refrigerator. He turned and opened a cabinet. Inside were several packets of instant ramen. He reached up and pulled one down but instantly dropped in a fit of hacking and coughing. A large cloud of dust billowed from the cabinet the instant ramen smashing against the floor forgotten. Jiraiya waved the dust away.

"Kami, doesn't this boy ever clean his house?" Jiraiya opened another cabinet to find a set of glasses. He reached up and took. It was an expensive Western wine glass. Jiraiya went to put the glass down when his hand hit the cabinet and the glass fell to the floor. It burst into more pieces then Jiraiya could count. He stared at the glass, the burst ramen and the light bulb. Everything was breaking. Jiraiya shivered at the image of fragility that it portrayed towards him. He stepped lightly out of the kitchen heading for Naruto's bedroom.

Jiraiya stepped into the bedroom and stopped. The last time he had been in here, the room seemed bright and vibrant, like the personality of the one who lived there. There had been clothes scattered around the room and the bed was scattered in disarray. This time however, the room seemed as if a ghost of Naruto had started living there, not caring what happened. The bed was in perfect order and the floor was empty. Jiraiya opened a drawer that he remembered Naruto kept all his technique scrolls. As he did a cloud of moths erupted into his face. Jiraiya looked back into the drawer once the moths had dispersed. He was greeted by a sight Jiraiya wished he had never seen. Every scroll was torn to bits and shreds. Most were faded and illegible. Naruto had always cherished his scrolls. Jiraiya swallowed hard. This whole apartment spoke of desertion. He slowly walked back to the broken in door. The hinges were gray and rusty, and the wood was marked by water damage and was fading. The windows were dark and gray and caked with grime. Jiraiya stepped out of the apartment and walked slowly down the stairs.

When he reached the bottom he was still pondering the absence of any form of life in Naruto's apartment. He walked still thinking until he ran into a sign. Surprised he looked up. The sign was written in simple black lettering.

**'Red Oak Apartment Building. Now leasing!' **This message was drawn through in red a sign plastered over it that read, **'For Sale.' **A simple sign was plastered over that message. **'Due for Demolition.'** Jiraiya's spine shook. The building had been sold and was now due to be torn down. But how could they do that if someone lived there? Jiraiya was starting to get a little bit shaken. He started his walk towards Naruto's other favorite spot. The Ichiraku Ramen Stand.

Jiraiya approached the stand only to find its metal front drawn down. A white sheet of paper was pasted over the front. It bore a simple message, 'Bankrupt.' Jiraiya stepped back. The date was nearly an entire year ago. But, how was that? Jiraiya shook his head and began his trek to the last spot he knew the blonde liked. The Hokage Mountain.

When Jiraiya arrived he found nothing abnormal. The spot Naruto was usually at however, was desolately empty. It was deserted and a slight wind sent a chill through his body. He was slightly startled by a small gasp behind him. Turning around he found the pink haired girl, Haruno Sakura, standing behind him.

"Oh, Jiraiya-sama, I didn't expect to see you here. And today of all days. Well, I guess it's to be expected. You haven't been here a while." Jiraiya listened to the young woman, her hair flapping wildly in the wind. She held a bouquet of flowers in her arms, gently smiling.

"Oh, Haruno-san. You wouldn't have happened to have seen Naruto, would you?" Her face slightly darkened as she looked off the edge of the Hokage Monument. Her memory of the last time she saw the blonde…

---Flashback---

_A cold wind blew over the top of the Hokage Monument. Sakura shivered slightly before an arm made its way around her. She looked over to see the blonde ninja smiling at her. She returned the smile before leaning against his chest. She sighed._

_"It's beautiful tonight, isn't it Naruto? It's times like this that I wish would never end…" Naruto smiled again._

_"I do too. But them I remember."_ _Sakura's face gained a puzzled expression._

_"And what is it that you remember?"_

_"That if a moment like this never ended, we'd never have time to feel the next one when it finally came along." Sakura smiled at the blonde's wisdom. She settled in for a nice wait. She started to ask a question. "Hey Naruto…"_

_He quickly shushed her. "Shh. It's starting now. Just lean back and let it all fade away." She listened and leaned back. In front of her a fireworks display began. Fiery flowers of color burst from the cylinders in the sky. Sakura's eyes slowly closed as she enjoyed the warmth of leaning against Naruto. Her question entirely forgotten. She attempted to form the question once again but Naruto placed a finger over her lips._

_"Shh. In the morning…" _

_When Sakura awoke the next day Naruto was nowhere to be found._

---End Flashback---

Jiraiya looked out over the edge of the monument into the sky. "So, you're sure that was the last time you met the boy? There's nothing you're trying to hide from me is there Haruno-san?"

Sakura looked at Jiraiya for a moment before looking out over the edge of the monument. "The best kind of secret is one that doesn't need to be kept." Jiraiya's face gained a puzzled look.

"Excuse me Haruno-san?"

"That's what he would always say. Naruto never liked hiding things from people. He always felt you should be up front and honest. Kind of makes me wonder why he became a ninja. Ninja are all about deceitfulness and lying. Yet, Naruto's dream was to be the greatest ninja. I guess that's why he wanted to be the Hokage. The Hokage is the strongest ninja but they rarely have to hide anything. Everyone knows of their skill and they're rarely challenged since they're so powerful. But I guess it was just fate…"

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya finally felt like he was getting somewhere.

"It's like Naruto told Neji. There's no such thing as fate. He once told me about a construction worker he met."

---Flashback---

_Naruto was walking down the street whistling. As Naruto walked past a construction site he looked up at the steel beams and wooden planks. He looked at the skeleton of the building. It was like a bony hand erupting from the ground that seemed to pull your eyes towards it. Naruto slipped and almost fell into a large ditch. He sighed._

_"Thank the fates. That fall could've broken my neck!" Naruto was about to keep walking when a voice called him._

_"Hey boy! You just mentioned fates didn't you?" Naruto turned around to see a construction worker. His hair was somewhat short, only coming to the middle of the back of his neck. It was a dirty blonde brown kind of color. The man's eyes were gray and green, with a spiked circle surrounding his pupil. Naruto looked at him for a second._

_"So what if I did mention the fates?"_

_"I just haven't heard someone say that for quite a while. I can't even remember the last time that I used the expression myself. It just seems so useless to thank something as whimsical as the fates…"_

_"Huh? Why do you say that?"_

_"Let me tell you a little bit of my history." The man motioned to a spot on a bench next to him as he sat down. "When I was a kid, a couple years younger than you, I was an actor. I was a great actor. I had the skills, I had the voice, I had the emotion, but, I just didn't have the 'look.' Was what they told me every time I tried to land a part. They'd always give it to some pretty boy who had all the money. Those casting directors didn't know what they were missing. They got the beautiful one, but they lost the talent. The fates had cursed us all. I was lacking the looks needed, the pretty boys had no talent, and the directors couldn't pick the right actors. But everyone wants to see the beautiful faces. They don't want the harsh reality of ugliness. They'd rather ignore the wall in front of them then break it down."_

_"So why'd you go into construction?"_

_"I went into construction because it suits my views. I may have talent, and I may have ability, but it's useless unless I have the whole set. So, I went into physical labor because it doesn't require special talents. It isn't the prettied up world of acting and dresses and pretty boys. It's a cold harsh reality of stone and mortar and people whose faces can probably be found in every book of mug shots you look at."_

_"So you're running away from your fears?"_

_"No boy. I left behind those hopes. Now I make my imprint in the stone."_

_"But you can't just do that! You can't give up because a couple of people overlooked you. If you have the strength, move the wall! Break it down!"_

_"You know boy, you're right. It's like my brother used to tell me, The past may be set in stone, but you hold the chisel of the future in your hand."_

_"Your brother's a smart man."_

_"He was."_

_"You mean he's…?"_

_"Yes. He's dead. He died six years ago in a stage accident. A light wasn't fixed properly and it collapsed and it crushed his head. But he was the one who was always there for me. You know, I guess I just needed a slap of reality. Here I am thinking that this stone is my reality, when I was really just using it as my mask on the stage on life. I must thank you boy." He pressed a chisel into his hand. "My brother had always wanted to be an artist. He carried this to carve his own future. I feel you can put it to better use than me." The man smiled, taking off his hard hat and throwing it into the construction site. Before nodding, smiling, towards Naruto as he left. _

_Naruto looked down at the chisel. There was an engraving on the handle. "The Chisel of the Future." Naruto laughed as he held the chisel of the future in his hand._

---End Flashback---

Jiraiya wondered to himself how Naruto managed to change the lives of everyone he met. "So, what was the man's name?"

"His name was Ishi Niwa."

"You mean that famous Kabuki Actor?"

"The very same. He later came back to thank Naruto for his encouragement. We even got two free tickets to go watch the show. I've seen many of his shows since. Naruto really enjoyed them. I had no idea he had such a passion for the performing arts."

"Yes yes, but where is Naruto!" Sakura bit her lip before looking at her watch.

"Sorry Jiraiya-sama! I have to go meet Tsunade for another lesson! Maybe Ino can tell you more!" Jiraiya just sighed as Sakura ran into the distance. He slowly walked towards the Yamanaka Flower Shop where he would most likely find the blonde.

---Break---

Ino hummed as she trimmed a few roses. She sighed as she arranged several blue and orange roses. The blue ones were a familiar sight, but the orange had been a tougher cross-pollination. What had really amazed Ino was the Ocean Tiger Rose. It was a special cross-pollinated rose. It was a cross between an ocean blue and orange rose. The colors swirled together in the rose in an intoxicating pattern. Ino sighed as she held one twirling between her fingers as she watched it.

'Ding-a-ling!' Ino's head perked up at the sound of the door.

"Hi and welcome to Yamanaka Flowers what can I get for, Jiraiya-sama?" Ino was barely acquainted with the Toad Sannin. She had seen him sometimes peeping at the local hot springs and had wanted to beat the hell out of him for it, but meeting him in person, he didn't seem like such a nutcase. He seemed like a pleasant, if not eccentric, individual. Almost like… Ino sighed once more. She didn't know why her thoughts kept drifting off to the earth held star. Especially on today…

"So, Ino-san. I was wondering if you knew where Naruto was. Sakura-san said you might have an idea as to where he might be." Ino just looked at him for a second before sighing for the umpteenth time that day.

"So, Sakura told you to come here?" Ino sighed twirling the rose once more. "I haven't seen Naruto for a while."

"Well, can you tell me what happened the last time that you saw him?"

Ino looked up at Jiraiya. "It was a couple years ago…"

---Flashback---

_Ino stood behind the counter of her family's flower shop, dutifully attending to two small buds. The buds were the newest orange and blue roses. Her family had just recently come into contact with a man who specialized in cross-pollinating different types of flowers. His flowers weren't always just made for show. They often had deeper meanings to them. One example was the infamous Dove. The Dove was an extremely rare breed of flower, known only to grown in high mountain tops in the vicinity of Snow Country. The man had somehow managed to acquire several Doves. With intense care and crossbreeding, the once pure white doves were now black or gray. They still grew white ones, but the black and gray were a specialty. Ino sighed and slumped down. It was raining. It wasn't a light drizzling rain. It was a heavy and dreary downpour. Ino was supposed to meet their flower breeder today._

_Normally, that wouldn't have set Ino on edge, but today, she was meeting him for the first time, and he was her family's most important supplier of rare flower breeds. Ino knew if she screwed this up, she could put her family out of business. She bit her lip and tried to think. She was near panicking when the bell on the shop door rang._

_"AAAAHHHHH!" Ino fell off her chair in surprise. She growled in frustration. What a way to make a first impression with a supplier. She lifted her eyes and blinked in surprise._

_"Hey Ino, you alright?" Standing above her, holding a strangely shaped package, covered in tarp, stood one Uzumaki Naruto._

_"Naruto? What are you doing here? I didn't expect any customers today. It's pouring rain out there, and I'm waiting for an important supplier. So, I ask you again, what are you doing here?" Ino was starting to get frustrated. The supplier could arrive at any moment. That's when she noticed Naruto's chuckling._

_"You see Ino, about that, I'm the supplier." Ino blinked a couple times before starting to laugh. As she clutched her stomach trying to breath, Naruto scowled. Then he sighed. He turned to leave, but Ino stopped him. "Look Naruto, I'm sorry about that. But you have to admit, that was a really funny prank!" Ino looked at his face before she slowly stopped laughing. "You're not kidding are you?" Naruto slowly shook his head. Ino stood up and cracked her back. "Sorry, I just find it kind of hard to believe that someone like you would have the patience to cross-pollinate delicate and rare flowers." Naruto smiled._

_"That's what almost everyone thinks. But, being a ninja can be so tedious. And everyone deals with the stress of being a ninja in a different way. Jiraiya and Jiji, and even Kakashi, all deal, or dealt, with the pressure by being perverted. Tsunade has her drinking, Shizune has her panicking, Lee and Gai have their Taijutsu, Neji has his fate obsession, Hinata has her shyness, Tenten has her weapon obsession, Sakura has her physical beatings, and you have your looks. Me, I personally tend flowers. It's just a way for us to get back to reality. It shows us that there's still hope and kindness in the world, and that the world isn't all about death." Ino nodded as she listened. He was right about it. They all dealt with things in different ways. Then it hit her._

_"You didn't mention Sasuke! What did Sasuke do to deal with it?" Ino was very curious but Naruto's sudden frown didn't help._

_"Sasuke… Sasuke didn't deal with it. Sasuke was revenge-obsessed. All he wanted was to kill his brother. Sasuke only focused on that one thing. When Sasuke fell into the real world of a shinobi, he just pushed all the mental stress to the back of his mind. He had no connection to reality. His life-line was Sakura's love for him, but a lifeline isn't any good unless you're willing to grab hold of it. Sasuke could have found his outlet in the form of a relationship, but he chose to stay single, his only companion the looming madness within his own mind. He eventually snapped and lost his mind completely. I met him again once, two years ago. He wasn't even Sasuke anymore. He was crazy, and mad, and he had no sight of reality. Once I had defeated him, Sasuke was so out of touch with reality, he thought it was all a dream. This eventually pushed Sasuke to the edges of insanity itself before he took his own life. It's important for people to have an outlet or they can end up like Sasuke." Ino was looking down._

_"That's… terribly sad. Sasuke was all alone and he refused his chance to lead a happy life. Sasuke always did seem unstable after his family was murdered, but, I guess that's what made him so attractive. For some reason, a lot of girls seem to like guys who are 'on the edge.' But Sasuke went OFF the edge. Kinda makes you wonder doesn't it?"_

_"It does. It's kind of like a bunch of lifeboats by a dock. Each person has their own boat, and there are a multitude of ropes. But only a few ropes are tied to the dock. So the people have to keep trying to find the rope that'll hold them to their dock of reality. Sasuke picked up the rope of vengeance and revenge, which was tied to a ship of despair sailing farther into the sea of insanity. Then, he was thrown a rope connected to the dock, but Sasuke refused to believe the rope he had was the wrong one." Ino was surprised by Naruto's metaphor. She had never thought of him as an intelligent character. But this new information about him, him culturing flowers, his views into how people operated, it was a different take altogether._

_"Oh, I almost forgot. There's a dual reason as to why I came here today. First is to drop off this new flower, and second, well, I'll get to that in a minute." Ino watched as Naruto pulled the tarp off the object revealing an elegantly beautiful flower._

_The flower's stem was straight as a ram rod, a clear indication of value. The bloom was a deep blue, like the blue roses he had originally given them. But then, in the bloom, were swirls of orange. They began at the base of the bud moving upward towards the ends of the petals at an angle. The two colors bent towards each other and swirled together in a menagerie of light and a dance of color. The petals of the bloom were soft and lightly curled outwards at the tip. A delicate scent drifted from the beautiful flower. Ino gazed in fascination at the flower._

_"It's a cross breed of the Sun Tiger and Moon Ocean roses. I've dubbed it the Ocean Tiger rose. It's currently only one of two of its kinds in existence. This one is for your family and breeding purposes, and the other one, is for, well, let's just say it's for personal reasons and leave it at that." He gently smiled as he handed Ino the pot containing the Ocean Tiger. Ino gently took it, her mouth slightly gaping at it._

_"Naruto this, this, this is astounding! Not only are crossbred flowers highly unstable and delicate, but roses are some of the most delicate flowers. How… how did you manage to cross the two?" Naruto chuckled, but before he was given a chance to speak, Ino cut him off. "No, don't tell me. That would spoil the wonder of the flower. But, this is such an amazing gift, what else could you possibly give to my family?" Naruto sighed and sat down. He gave Ino a sad smile._

_"Your family will be receiving my greenhouse and its contents, plus my research notes on extensive crossbreeding." Ino's mouth was through the floor now. Not only did her family receive the flower, but the greenhouse of one of the most successful flower breeders in Konoha, of Fire Country, of the WORLD? Before she could speak Naruto gave her another sad smile. "You'll find out in good time my reasons for this. But for now, just take the rose." Ino nodded dumbstruck while Naruto smiled once again before opening the door, the rain still pouring. "And remember Ino, there's always more than one lifeline." With that Naruto disappeared through the doorway. Ino, momentarily stunned, shook off her confusion before wrenching open the door and looking about her. But the only presence on the entire street was that of the heavy rain._

---End Flashback---

"And that was the last time that I ever saw Naruto. But I never forgot what he told me. And I never let go of that rose. But he was right. There was more than one lifeline. I had always been using my looks as my emotional shield. But, in lieu of that day, I've turned to continuing Naruto's passion for flowers." Jiraiya looked out the window at the darkening clouds. Never had Naruto come into a situation where he hadn't changed everything for the better. The rain slowly started coming down. He noticed the Ino girl was also staring at the rain. It must remind her of the last day she saw Naruto. Jiraiya sighed. Ino had no information on his current whereabouts.

"Well, thanks for all your help Yamanaka-san, but do you know of anyone else who might know what happened to Naruto?" Ino looked at Jiraiya before slightly smiling.

"Sure. Chouji might be able to tell you more." Jiraiya nodded.

_'From Apartment to Haruno to Yamanaka to Akamichi. Naruto, where are you?'_

---Break---

Jiraiya stepped into a restaurant. The people there were laughing in loud jovial voices and mugs of beer were being passed around every table with reckless abandon. Jiraiya looked around, and saw no one that resembled an Akamichi. Grabbing a waitress' arm, he asked if she knew of any Akamichi's that frequented the barbeque joint, or if any of them were there at the moment. She pointed out a large muscular individual as one Akamichi Chouji. Jiraiya approached the table before sitting down, the man eyeing him warily. Jiraiya waved over a waitress.

"Yes, I'll have one rack of honey barbeque ribs, and, I'll be paying for whatever this fellow here buys." Chouji had stopped eating and was staring at Jiraiya.

"Alright, what do you want?" Chouji knew this wasn't a situation to be fooling around in.

"My name is Jiraiya. One of the Densetsu no Sannin. I'm here for some information Akamichi-san, and I heard that you may be one to provide me with it." Chouji's eyes widened.

"Jiraiya-sama! Please, I beg your pardon for not recognizing you at first. Please, in what way may I be of assistance to you?" Jiraiya smirked. Maybe this would be easier then he thought.

"I'm looking for information on the whereabouts of Uzumaki Naruto. And I was hoping that you may be able to provide information about the last time you saw him and any plans he had." Chouji rubbed his chin as he called for more barbecue.

"I'm unsure of what he did once we parted ways, but I did meet up with him a couple years ago. It was on a dark raining evening. It was actually in this very booth that I spoke to him. Now let's see…" As Chouji began the telling of his tale the rain began to fall in a light drizzle, accentuating the cheery atmosphere of the barbecue restaurant.

---Flashback---

_Chouji sat in a booth at his favorite barbecue restaurant. He looked outside at the rain that was coming down heavily. It had lessened up slightly. Chouji kind of wished he was in Ino's place, she got to at least stay home and tend her family's shop. Chouji was stuck in the restaurant and he had forgotten his umbrella. Plus, he had no money and he had maxed out his tab for the week at the restaurant. He sighed in despair and looked over as he heard the door open. In walked one Uzumaki Naruto._

_Naruto walked over before sitting across from Chouji. "So, why the long face Chouji? You look like someone just threw out a crate of fresh ribs." Chouji chuckled at Naruto's humor._

_"I'm just having a bit of trouble right now and I don't know how to handle it."_

_"Well, what's your problem? Maybe I can help." Naruto smiled at Chouji who only sighed again._

_"I don't think you can. You see, I need to pay off my tab here but I don't have any money on me! I can't charge anymore to the tab, and I'm stuck here. How am I supposed to explain this? Ohhh… the Akamichi name will be tarnished for sure! No one will ever think we're reliable enough to hold a tab!" Chouji broke down sobbing on the table. Naruto reached over and patted his shoulder._

_"It's ok Chouji. Everything will be fine. One incident won't be enough to completely destroy your family's reputation. If you just explain the situation to them, I'm sure they'll understand, and let you pay it back later." Chouji lifted his face up._

_"But you don't understand __**how**__ serious this is! My tab it's… it's… it's the largest tab in all of Konoha. It's over 500,000 ryou! There's no way I can get that kind of money in just a few hours." Chouji began sobbing louder than before. "I guess it's true. I'm just a worthless fat ass who can't be trusted!" Naruto's face became stern and hard. He gripped Chouji by his collar before hoisting him into the air. Chouji was staring in fear at Naruto. It was an impressive feat to hoist an uncooperative Akamichi into the air, coupled with the fact that Naruto looked like he was about to flay Chouji with an old rusty pipe didn't help the situation._

_"Listen to me Chouji! Don't __**ever**__ think anything like that __**EVER **__again! Let those people doubt you all you want! Let them put you down, let them walk all over you, let them call you a fat ass. Let them call you worthless. Let them do whatever the hell they want. But don't you ever, __**ever**__ start doubting yourself! They can make their petty little comments. They can crack their silly jokes. They can make ribs at you till the next war. But, as long as YOU believe in YOURSELF, you're untouchable. Your self-respect is your suit of armor. Their words are nothing more than sticks and pebbles. Sure, the words may hurt. They might sting and burn, and make you feel terrible. But, that's all they'll do. Your self respect is all you need to fight them. Your self respect is your armor, your kindness your shield, your compassion, your sword. They can't fight you when you refuse to stoop their level and give in. But when you give up and stop respecting yourself, their sticks and pebbles become swords and knives. They'll rip at you, stab into you, and tear you into little pieces! They'll exploit you to the full extent of their being! They'll pull you down into a pit of mud and grime and drown you there. They'll roast you on a spit and devour you just to sustain their greed! But, with your self respect, they can't do any of that! Their words will continue to sting, but that's ALL that they'll do! Burns and stings will heal with time and compassion. Torment doesn't heal so easily. Their main tactic is to tear down your armor, your respect. Break your shield, your kindness. Shatter your sword, your compassion. And then, they tear you into little pieces. And with each little piece, they overwhelm it with hate and putrid disgust. They turn you against yourself. They make you think you don't deserve to exist! Then they put you back together and laugh as you grovel in the dirt. Then they tell you doing this and that will make your life worth it. They'll exploit the fear they instilled in you. They force you into servitude by your own will. They don't need to break you, because when you lose your compassion, your kindness, your self respect, you've lost that which makes you, you." Naruto let Chouji fall back into his seat his mouth gaping at him. He had no idea Naruto harbored those kinds of thoughts. At first Chouji thought Naruto was mad, but it slowly dawned on him, he was right. Chouji smiled at Naruto._

_"But, what am I supposed to do about the tab?" Naruto knew Chouji was close to breaking down, so he took out a sheet of paper and wrote something down before signing it._

_"There. It's written proof authorizing the restaurant to draw the necessary amount of money from my bank account to pay back your tab. Anymore and they can be charged with Federal Fraud." Naruto smiled. Chouji was stuttering at the offer._

_"But… but… what if they don't draw out any money and use the tab to slander my family's name?" _

_"They wouldn't want to lose the business of the Akamichi family. They would probably seek to attack you personally and use the tab in a case against you to sue your family for as much money as they can get. But this should satisfy them. Your family can easily pay back the tab, but I don't want you to have to suffer any degradation." Naruto gently smiled handing over the paper. Chouji slowly took it, being careful not to damage the paper or smear the writing._

_"Oh Naruto, where did you get that speech about self respect? It was… inspiring. My whole life I've been put down because of my weight. I didn't truly feel like I was everyone else's equal. I always felt sub-par. It was like you said. They tried to drag me down and tear me to pieces. It's such a disturbing thought. Thinking of what I may have been like had I never met Shikamaru. He was the one that told me it didn't matter how big I was. He liked me for being the same happy go-lucky Akamichi I had always been. He didn't put me down or verbally attack me. I guess that's why he was my only friend. But now, I think maybe it would have been a good idea to get to know you a lot more Naruto." Naruto gave Chouji a soft smile before placing his hand on Chouji's shoulder._

_"That's what I'm talking about Chouji. You've got one great friend in Shikamaru. You'll probably find plenty others in the rest of the Rookie Nine. You have lots of friends everywhere you go. They're just waiting for you to come along and try to be friends. It's not always enough to just be content and stay back with the people who you're comfortable with. A comfortable environment leaves no room for growth. To truly grow, you must experience hate, grief, depression, compassion, love, apathy, fury, joy, every emotion. Life isn't a rainbow of pure white. It's a collage of everything." Chouji was having a good time talking with Naruto until he noticed something._

_"Hey Naruto… you still didn't tell me where you got all that stuff about self-respect. Was it from a book or something? 'Cause it sounds like something a motivational author would write."_

_"You could say I got it from a book Chouji. The story of my life." Chouji was puzzled._

_"What do you mean? You're always so upbeat. Everyone wants to be happy like you. You seem to respect yourself so much more than anyone else I can think of. When someone put you down, you didn't take it lightly, you fought back! You didn't let them strike you down. You showed them compassion and caring and changed them. So, how is that talk a reflection of your life?"_

_"Let's just say Chouji, that when I was younger, I forgot what it meant to respect one's self. I lost sight of my own being. I let them pull me down into their territory. I surrendered myself to their attacks, and even aided them by degrading myself. I did this because I thought it was what I was looking for. I thought that it was what I needed. But, in the end, it only destroyed me. I was left in that state of destruction for I'm not sure how long. I was finally rescued from it when I met you guys. My friends." Chouji was frowning through the first part of the explanation, wondering what could have possibly made Naruto lose faith in himself when he seemed to have faith in everyone. But by the time he finished Chouji was happily smiling glad to be recognized as Naruto's friend. He wanted to ask one more question, but Naruto quickly stood up before he could ask._

_"Sorry to go Chouji, but I just realized I'm late for a very important meeting with someone!" Naruto ran out the door waving to Chouji. Chouji just sighed as he picked up the signed sheet of paper._

_"Why Naruto? What made you lose your faith in yourself…?" Chouji just sighed as he called for the Manager of the restaurant._

---End Flashback---

"And that's the last time I met with him Jiraiya-sama. He helped me out more then he could have possibly imagined that day. I pulled myself out of that slump and pushed forward. He really gave me a new outlook on life. I've never forgotten that speech he gave me either. In fact, I've taught it to my students at the Academy!" Jiraiya blinked.

"Students?"

"Oh, silly me! I forgot to tell you Jiraiya-sama. Naruto's talk about self confidence inspired me to pass on the knowledge Naruto had given me. So, I became a teacher at the Academy. The kids at the Academy are young and headstrong, but telling them about Naruto, it never ceases to grab their attention. They all want to be like him. But, I'm trying to prepare them for life as a shinobi. Naruto taught me that too."

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya was fairly certain the Academy had already been preparing students for life as a Shinobi.

"Well you see, a year or so ago, we instituted a reform in the way the Academy was run. We… toughened it up a little bit. Now, it's impossible to pass with just one good area. Like Sakura from our year. She's gotten better, but at first she only graduated cause of her written scores. We've stopped focusing so much on ideas and memorizing facts, and more on practical applications. Naruto explained to me once the reason why so many of Konoha's genins died on their first C-class mission was because they were ill-prepared. They could easily kill the bandits and such, but, they lacked the resolve to go through with it. They'd hesitate and not strike the killing blow, or attempt to simply knock them out. Unfortunately, bandits play opossum quite well, and pretend to be knocked out before slitting the Genins' throats. Now we use Genjutsu to make the kids think they're defending their friends and families and they 'kill' an enemy. We never really tell them it wasn't real unless they need it. But with that experience the kids are more prepared for actual killing situations, and it helps us locate ones who are unstable and may actually have a passion for killing. And may go so far as to kill innocent civilians for the sake of killing. Naruto taught me the importance of respect, of both yourself and others. And no self-respecting person would allow a Genin to venture into the field with the kind of inexperience we had."

Jiraiya nodded as he listened. It was actually a good idea. The Academy had been far too soft. Konoha relied heavily on teamwork and being able to rely on your teammates was one thing that helped many get through the shock of their first kill. Then again, not every team was exactly cooperative. Jiraiya shuddered as he thought of Kakashi's Team 7 before turning back to Chouji. "So, any ideas on where Naruto might be?"

Chouji fiddled with his chopsticks. "Shikamaru."

"What?"

"Talk to Shikamaru about it. I… I… I just can't do it right now." Jiraiya nodded as he remembered the Nara companion of Chouji's. With an IQ of over 200 maybe Shikamaru would be able to provide more information on the whereabouts of Uzumaki. Jiraiya gathered his things, dropping a blank signed check on the table he started to leave.

"For the meal." With those words Jiraiya opened the door and stepped outside, his quest to find Uzumaki Naruto, still going strong.

---Break---

Shikamaru lay in a field the rain still coming down. The dark angry clouds stormed overhead, their steady falling tears never wavering. Shikamaru's eyes lay closed as the rain slowly beat down upon him. His clothes were slightly damp; the rain wasn't heavy enough to cause any real damage. He turned his head as he saw a man walking up to him. He sighed as the man looked like he wanted to ask him something.

"How troublesome…" Jiraiya approached the prone figure before sitting down next to him.

"So, Shikamaru-san. I have a few questions I would like to ask you." Shikamaru groaned as he sat up. "They're about Uzumaki Naruto." Shikamaru stopped groaning and sat up, intent on the man's questions. "As I'm sure you know, I am Jiraiya of the Sannin, Naruto's teacher. And I was wondering if you could tell me when the last time you saw him was?" Shikamaru looked at him before looking up into the clouds.

"Yeah, I can tell you. It was just about two years ago that I talked to him…"

---Flashback---

_Shikamaru lay in the field staring at the peaceful clouds as someone sat next to him. He shifted, turning his gaze in their direction, slightly shocked to see Naruto there. He turned back to the clouds not saying anything. Naruto sat silently for several minutes before speaking._

_"So, Shikamaru. Why do you watch the clouds all the time?" Shikamaru blinked as he looked at Naruto. He had answered the question many times before, but he had a feeling that this time would be different. _

_"Because I want to be a cloud. They're free of responsibility and just float along without any purpose." Naruto smiled at that. _

_"I've always wanted to be a cloud, but not because they're carefree. To me, clouds carry some of the largest responsibilities of anything in the world. They're job is to carry the weight of the world's problems, and then, lightly spread them out. Very few people like the rain, so when the clouds release their problems it comes out in an easy to cope with form. And then, the clouds' jobs start all over again. Bringing water and life to the entire world." Shikamaru just sighed._

_"I've just never wanted to have to do anything. Clouds always seemed so carefree. But, I guess they really aren't."_

_"That's the material curse Shikamaru. As long as you exist, you will hold some form or purpose. You may not know what that purpose is; you may never learn what it was. But you must never stop asking what it is."_

_"Why shouldn't we stop asking what it is?" Shikamaru was expecting him to shout something about never ending dreams or something but he just peacefully sighed._

_"Because, sometimes, questions are our only reality. What is our purpose? Maybe our purpose is to ask questions for others to answer. But if we stopped asking what our purpose was, how would we ever find out what it was? Where would we discover our meaning? Questions are our life-line. They let us hold onto something when all else is missing. But, with questions, you must be careful. Questions are one of the few many edged swords. They may benefit you, or destroy you. They may also destroy everything around you. But, if we simply stopped questioning, we would be lost. Would we go left or right? Would we stop and do nothing? Would we simply let ourselves die?"_

_Shikamaru was surprised by Naruto's explanation. He had always thought of the world as straightforward and simple. Maybe there was more to the world then he had ever thought. And perhaps, questioning things wouldn't be such a bad idea. "So Naruto, what's YOUR purpose since you seem to know so much about them?"_

_"Well Shikamaru, I'm not entirely sure of my purpose. But, I like to think it has something to do with what it is I do right now."_

_"You mean being a ninja?"_

_"If you wish to consider it that, then yes, being a ninja." Shikamaru didn't know what he meant but before he could ask Naruto stood up._

_"Sorry I can't stay much longer, I have other business I have to attend to." _

_Shikamaru leaned back down. "Annoying Naruto and his questions. He can't be right, can he?"_

---Flashback End---

"That blonde idiot really said that? I never really figured him to be one for the abstract philosophical concepts…" Jiraiya mumbled. It seemed to more he attempted to seek out the old Naruto, the more he found out about the new one.

"Yeah. It was that day that I finally realized, I envied Naruto." Jiraiya simply gave Shikamaru a puzzled look. "He did what I had always wanted to. He became a cloud. He took your biggest problems, took them on himself, then spread them around and helped you solve it with help. He just kept floating on through the sky. Spreading around the problems… I just wish I could ask him one more thing…"

Jiraiya stared at Shikamaru. "So, do you know where he is now?" Shikamaru looked at Jiraiya for a moment before looking back into the sky. He turned and started to walk away. As he left he called back to Jiraiya.

"Speak with Inuzuka Kiba. He might be able to tell you what happened. You reminded me of something that I need to do." Jiraiya sighed as he walked away once more. He had spoken with four of Naruto's friends so far, that left six more… He quickly counted them off in his head.

_"Inuzuka Kiba… Naruto knew his teammates, the Aburame and the Hyuuga. Hyuuga… That Hyuuga boy he fought in the Chuunin Exams! Maybe he would know. His teammates. Gai's clone and the weapons girl may also know something. Guess I've got some work to do now…"_

---Break---

Kiba wiped several beads of sweat form his forehead as he leaned on a rake. He had just finished mucking out the Inuzuka stalls. Contrary to what many believed, the Inuzuka's didn't just run a dog kennel. The Inuzukas were the premier, not to mention only, Animal Veterinarians and Caretakers in all of Konoha. Their compound was located behind the Hokage Mountain in the large forest that existed there. Most of Konoha actually was behind the monument. The training grounds especially. The smaller Residential District was the forefront of Konoha, while the much larger Shinobi District lay behind the monument. Most clan compounds were in the residential area, but the Inuzuka had chosen to live in the Shinobi district as it was far larger and offered peace and quiet. Kiba looked out at the large green forests and smiled. It was this peace and quiet that he enjoyed. He noticed someone coming up to the compound. After a moment he recognized it as Jiraiya. He placed the rake in a shed and brought out two stools. Jiraiya would most likely want to ask him a few questions; after all, the Inuzuka clan was one of Jiraiya's information suppliers.

Jiraiya arrived at the compound a few moments later. Seeing the stools, he sat down and waited for Kiba to do the same. Kiba bowed to Jiraiya before Jiraiya motioned for him to sit down.

"What do you need Jiraiya-sama?" Jiraiya noted the seriousness with which spoke. Some of the shinobi of this generation knew when to act with respect.

"I'm looking for one Inuzuka Kiba. Do you know where I could find him?" Kiba blinked for a moment.

"Yes, that's me. I'm Inuzuka Kiba. What do you need?" Jiraiya nodded. This would make things quite a bit easier. He didn't need to go chasing him around.

"I'm looking for Uzumaki Naruto. Do you know anything about his current whereabouts?" Kiba's face became somber.

"I don't know anything about where he is right now."

"Could you tell me about the last time you spoke with him?" Kiba nodded.

"It was about two years ago that I last saw him," his story began much like the others. "It was raining one night and he stopped by to talk to me about something…"

---Flashback---

_Kiba sat inside the Inuzuka compound brushing his large dog, Akamaru. His face was etched with worry and concern. Lately Akamaru had been severely ill. None of the Inuzuka knew what the problem was or how to fix it. Kiba was nearly ready to cry. Akamaru had been with him for years. He was his first real friend. He didn't want to lose him. The thunder clapped outside just as a loud knock came from the door. Kiba reluctantly stood and opened the door. Standing there underneath an umbrella was Naruto._

_"Naruto? What are you doing here? It's pouring cats and dogs out there!" Naruto just smiled at Kiba._

_"Do you mind if I come in for a minute Kiba? I have something I need to talk to you about." Kiba nodded before stepping aside and allowing Naruto to enter. Naruto kneeled down next to Akamaru before gently stroking his side. "He's pretty sick isn't he?" Kiba nodded. Naruto gave him a sad smile. "He's your best friend isn't he?"_

_Kiba smiled back. "Yeah. Akamaru's been with me as long as I can remember. I remember the first day that I ever met Akamaru. It was right when I came home from the Academy one day. I was sad because I felt that I was falling behind everyone else, and I didn't really have many friends. When I got home, my mother motioned for me to come to the Kennels. When I arrived I found that one of our Breeders had just had another litter. This one was a very strong litter too. She asked me to see if any of them reacted to my chakra. I was ecstatic… It's a tradition in the clan that the first cub that strongly reacts to your chakra in a positive manner becomes your familiar. And that day, Akamaru quickly responded. He bounded over and licked my hand. He was obviously intended to be mine…" Kiba paused for a moment and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. It was very emotional for him to remember that day. "And from then on, Akamaru and I were inseparable. We went everywhere and did everything together… He became the greatest friend I ever had. He was there when I was sad, and when I was glad. He was my constant companion no matter what. When I thought I lost him several years ago, my heart nearly burst. Now, I don't know what to do… I'm afraid of losing my first friend again…" Kiba kneeled by Akamaru before he continued to keep stroking him. Naruto looked at Kiba._

_"You know Kiba, you wouldn't be losing Akamaru…" Kiba gave him a strange look._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You never lose friends when they die. They're still with you. And they always will be. Even if they can't physically touch you, or hold you when you're sad, or be with you when you're happy, but they're always there. And they always will be. They'll always be with you in your heart. They never leave you unless they choose to do so. And even if they disappear, you'll know that you'll still have them in your heart. They always say there's no power greater than love. And there isn't. As long as you love your friends they'll never leave you. Now, I think I've taken up enough of your time. But before I go, promise me that you'll check Akamaru for Parasitic Kidney Failure." Kiba just nodded. Naruto smiled before he walked to the door. As he opened it, he turned back to Kiba. "And always remember. You're friends never leave you."_

---End Flashback---

"And that was the last time I ever spoke with Naruto. I'm sorry if I wasn't any help. But it's something that's hard for me to talk about. If you need to know more, I'd suggest you speak with my teammates. Hyuuga Hinata and Aburame Shino. Hinata is probably at the Hyuuga Manor or the hospital and Shino is probably at his home or the Entomology Center." Jiraiya nodded.

"Thank you for your time…" Jiraiya walked away, several new thoughts in his mind. _"Naruto seems to have visited all of his friends on a night two years ago… But for what purpose? This is too confusing." _He sighed once more. _"I suppose I should visit the Aburame next. He may be more willing to open up than the Hyuuga…" _

---Break---

Shino sat on a tatami mat in his small living room, a pot of tea and a small cup resting his front of him. He was calmly meditating while the rain came down in sheets. His Kikai bugs disliked the rain. It did not bother him to any extent. Very little did. Very little surprised him either. However, he was surprised when he heard a knock on his door in this weather. Standing up he walked to the door and opened. Standing there was one of the Densetsu no Sannin, Jiraiya. Motioning for him to come in, Shino began walking towards the kitchen. He brought out another cup and a saucer, and another tatami mat. Setting them down, he sat down motioning for Jiraiya to do the same. After a moment he spoke.

"Would you like some tea? I also have some Onigiri in the kitchen if you so desire."

"I would like some tea, yes. However, I don't plan to stay long so I will forego the offer of Onigiri. Thank you for the offer." Shino merely nodded before pouring Jiraiya a cup of tea.

"What brings you to my home this dreary day Jiraiya-sama?" Shino calmly began sipping his hot tea as he waited for a response.

"I doubt you know where the man I'm looking for is, so I'll just skip ahead to asking you when the last time you saw him was. I suppose it was a night two years ago when you last spoke with one Uzumaki Naruto?" Shino had been impassive throughout the whole thing until that name was mentioned. When it was, he paused, the cup of tea halfway to his mouth. After a moment he calmly took a single sip of the tea, before setting his cup down.

"Yes. It was two years ago when I last spoke with Naruto-san. I suppose you would like to hear what was said between us?" Jiraiya nodded. "Very well. It was a night much like tonight, Naruto stopped by just after he had gone to see Kiba. It was that night that he changed my views…" Shino's eyes became somewhat distant behind his glasses as he remembered that night.

---Flashback---

_Shino sat on a small tatami mat as he sipped a cup of tea. The rain pouring down. A knock on the door seemed to slightly startle the Aburame. He sent a wave of his Kikai bugs to open the door. Standing there underneath an umbrella was Uzumaki Naruto. Shino raised his eyebrows as Naruto stepped inside._

_"Hey Shino. What's up?" Shino made no response, only staring at Naruto. "I see. It is kind of a dreary day isn't it?" Shino raised his other eyebrow. Naruto seemed to know what he was thinking based off only his expressions. "Anyways, I wanted to come ask you something." Shino was very surprised by now._

_"What is it you need me to do Naruto-san?" Naruto didn't seem surprised by the fact that Shino had finally spoken. He just gave Shino a smile._

_"I want you to look after Ino." This truly surprised Shino. He had always thought that Naruto had cared for Sakura._

_"And why is that Naruto? You seem to be more than capable of looking after her." Naruto smiled at Shino. His smile was one of pain and sorrow._

_"I can right now. But soon I won't be able to. And I think you are the best one to do this for me." Shino nodded._

_"Everyone else relies upon others far too much I presume?" Naruto raised his eyebrows._

_"No. I thought you would be best because you understand the concept of companionship the best of all of us. Perhaps I was wrong. You don't seem to understand it. How that is, I'm not sure. You've spent all of your life surrounded by thousands of companions, yet you don't see how other people are what give you your true strength." Shino blinked._

_"I don't see your point Naruto-san. Reliance on others makes you dependant, and allows for others to exploit those things on which you rely. If you care for someone, they'll attack them to get to you."_

_"They would. But I would fight all the harder knowing I had someone to protect. In a hive, the Queen is dependant upon all the workers for everything. The Queen however, provides the Hive with the continuation of its life. If either of them were to disappear, the Hive would go to pieces. The workers work hard, and fight for the Queen. The Queen lays eggs for the Workers to continue their line. They depend on each other, and are all the much stronger for it. Do you get what I mean now Shino?" Shino nodded._

_"I understand your reasoning Naruto-san. It is our dependence that grants us our reasons for fighting, and our reasons for fighting provide us with our true strength." Naruto smiled at him._

_"Having precious people is what makes you truly strong. A very wise person once told me. He fought for his precious people, and he was truly strong. I've passed that lesson on to everyone that I can. So, I'll ask you again Shino, will you look after Ino for me?" _

_Shino nodded. "I will Naruto-san. But, pardon my asking, why can you not do it yourself? And what about Sakura-san?"_

_"I'm going away for a while Shino. That's all you need to know about that. And as for Ino, well, I have my own reasons. Did you know her favorite color is blue?" Shino shook his head._

_"I did not Naruto-san." Naruto smiled once more before he opened the door._

_"I'm glad I had the chance to talk to you Shino." Shino nodded as Naruto left. He sat down once more on the Tatami mat. He called out a few of his Kikai bugs. Holding them up, he began to speak with them. It had been far too long since he had asked about the inner workings of his Kikai._

_Several hours later, Shino still sat on the tatami mat, this time, alone. He reflected on the talk he had had with his bugs. "I'm very glad I had this chance to speak with you Naruto-san…"_

---End Flashback---

"And that was the last time I ever spoke with Naruto-san. I suppose you have already spoken with Ino?" Jiraiya nodded. "I suppose she didn't tell you anything about the way that Naruto loved her more than anything else?" Jiraiya shook his head. "Yes… He wished to protect her, which I suspect is his reason for leaving. And I suppose Ino also told you about the rose Naruto created?" Jiraiya once again nodded. "He intended for it to be a symbol of the love he had for Ino. The orange intertwined with blue. Naruto's destiny was intertwined with her's. I suppose that he eventually realize Sakura was not the one he truly loved. Although, his love for Ino makes sense if you truly consider it…" Shino seemed to be lost in reflection at that point.

"Shino, do you know where he was going?" Shino shook his head.

"I am sorry Jiraiya-sama. He never told me what his intended destination was."

"Thank you anyways Shino." Shino nodded as Jiraiya stood to leave. As he was leaving Shino called out.

"And Jiraiya-sama," Jiraiya looked back. "I would suggest you be careful when you speak with Hinata. She loved him for quite some time, and I am unsure as to how she would react to speaking about him." Jiraiya nodded as he left.

---Break---

Jiraiya sat inside the Hyuuga Manor, the rain outside beginning to lighten up. He sat patiently as he waited for Hinata to arrive. When she finally did, she bowed deeply to Jiraiya before setting down a tea tray. She poured both of them cups before sitting down.

"It is an honor to speak with you Jiraiya-sama. What do you wish to know?" Hinata's voice was light and steady. She had cured herself of her stuttering some years ago.

"I understand that what I'm asking of you may be difficult for you to speak of. If you are uncomfortable with speaking to me about it, you don't need to. Now, could you please tell me about the last time you spoke with Uzumaki Naruto?" At the mention of the name Hinata dropped her cup, the hot liquid spilling over the hardwood floors, the cup breaking. Before Jiraiya could do anything, Neji, who was watching over Hinata stepped in and began to clean up the mess. Hinata quickly regained her senses.

"Pardon me Jiraiya-sama. You startled me. I haven't heard anyone mention that name in two years. And I'm sorry but he never came to speak with me. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Hinata quickly stood before moving to leave.

"Hinata-san. Please do not lie. I know Naruto-san came to speak with you the same night he came to speak with me. Please, tell Jiraiya-sama what was said." Jiraiya looked at Neji as he spoke. Hinata had stopped as soon as Neji had called her name. She turned around and sat back down.

"Very well. I apologize for my behavior. I reacted badly to your question. That night is a hard subject for me to speak about."

"That's alright Hinata. Just please, tell me what he said to you." Hinata nodded.

"He didn't say very much to me. I think he knew that I was in love with him…"

---Flashback---

_Hinata sat down as Naruto sat across from her. It was a well known fact that she was in love with the blonde, and she was having a tough time controlling her blush._

_"Hinata…" Hinata was startled by Naruto suddenly speaking._

_"Yes Naruto?"_

_"I wanted to come speak with you tonight before I left." Hinata was shocked. He was leaving? How had she not known…? "I know we haven't always been the best of friends, and I wish that I could have known you better. It's probably my fault that…" Hinata cut him off before he could finish._

_"It isn't your fault Naruto. It's mine. I was always too timid to speak to you over these years. I wish I had had the courage to." Naruto nodded._

_"I wish you had too. I feel I've missed a lot by not knowing you as well as I should have… And I know that you've had a crush on me for quite some time." Hinata was shocked. She thought she had hidden it so well… "And I'm sorry to say but I don't feel the same way." Hinata was crushed._

_"Why? Is it Sakura? Is it me? Is there something wrong with me?" Hinata was desperate to know why the man she loved didn't love her back._

_"It isn't you or Sakura, Hinata. I just fell in love with someone else… I'm sorry, but that's the way our hands were dealt I guess..." He gave her a sad smile. "But what about Kiba? He's a nice guy and he cares about you." Hinata smiled at his concern for her. She nodded. Perhaps, she had been focusing too much on Naruto to see what she already had…_

---End Flashback---

Jiraiya nodded. "Neji. What did he say to you?"

"He also didn't say much to me. However, I will tell you what he did say to me."

---Flashback---

_Naruto stood at the door to the Hyuuga Manor preparing to leave. The rain had lightened to the point where he no longer needed his umbrella. Neji was there to show Naruto out. Before he left he turned to Neji._

_"I want you to look after her Neji. She needs you now more than ever. You're one of the few members of her family that actually care about her." Neji nodded._

_"I will do my best Naruto-san. You saved me from myself; it is only fair that I do what you request of me." Naruto smiled._

_"Before I go Neji, I was you to have this." He reached into his pocket before pulling something out. Pressing it into Neji's hand, he left._

_Looking down, Neji saw it was an ordinary chisel. Carved into the handle were the words, "The Chisel of the Future." Neji smiled as he saw Naruto leave._

_"And I hold the chisel of the future in my hand. When did you get to be so wise Naruto?"_

---End Flashback---

Jiraiya remembered Sakura telling him about Naruto receiving the chisel. "Well, thank you for your time. Before I go, do you suppose either of you could tell me where Naruto is, or anyone else who might know?" Hinata was about to speak, but decided against it and shook her head. Neji mimicked the action.

"I cannot tell you Jiraiya-sama. But one of my teammates, Rock Lee or Hishimura Tenten may be able to tell you." Jiraiya nodded.

"Do you know where I can find them?" Neji nodded.

"Lee visits the Memorial Stone this time of day. He's done it ever since Gai was killed by that Zetsu guy. Tenten is working her family store today, Hishimura weapons. You can find them there." Jiraiya nodded before leaving, leaving behind a sad Hinata, and a contemplating Neji.

"Hinata, do you suppose he doesn't know what happened two years ago?" Hinata shook her head.

"He must. Everyone does." With that Neji started to leave.

"Today is the anniversary. Do you wish to accompany me today?" Hinata stood.

"I think that it is about time that I did." Both Hyuuga left the Manor, and began heading down a path towards an unknown destination.

---Break---

Rock Lee stood in front of the Memorial Stone. He was reflecting on two of the names written on the stone.

_Maito Gai _

_Hatake Kakashi_

Kakashi had been killed in an attempt for revenge against the Akatsuki. He would never admit it, but Gai had been his best friend. When he was killed by the Akatsuki, Kakashi lost it. Now, Lee came to the stone to reflect on his shortcomings, and his inspiration. He had vowed that he would carry on the memory of Gai and his Eternal Rival. He would continue Gai's teaching methods and determination, and Kakashi's sense of honor and pride, and his coolness.

Lee was quite surprised when a figure arrived next to him. He was even more surprised that it was the Legendary Shinobi, Jiraiya.

"Greetings Jiraiya-sama. What brings you here today?" Lee was less exuberant than he had been. The loss of his mentor had tempered his spirit somewhat.

"You do. I want to know when the last time you spoke with Uzumaki Naruto was, and what he said to you." Lee was quite surprised.

"Very well Jiraiya-sama. It was two years ago to this very day in fact. I was standing here when…"

---Flashback---

_Lee was mourning the loss of Gai. Although it had been quite some time since he had been killed by Zetsu, he was still deep in mourning. He kneeled in front of the Memorial Stone crying. He didn't move until someone laid a hand on his shoulder. Turning around he saw who it was._

_"Naruto? What are you doing here?"_

_"The same thing you're doing Lee. I know quite a few of the people on this stone. And I miss every single one of them." Lee looked up at Naruto whose face was somber._

_"How do you do it Naruto?"_

_"Do what Lee?"_

_"How do you keep acting like you do when you know so many people on this stone? You never seem to be sad, yet you seem to have lost so many friends. How can you do it? How cam you move along like this, when you have so many memories of them that drag you down?" Lee was teary eyed as he spoke. Naruto just looked at the stone._

_"Because I don't let them drag me down. I mourn the loss of my friends, of course. I think everyone does. But I don't let the memories of them drag me down. I miss them, and I remember them. And it's from there that I draw my strength." Lee gave him a puzzled look. "I remember my friends, Lee. I let the memories of them hold me up. I don't think of my memories of them in a sad way, I remember them in a joyous way. I remember all the good times I had with them, and all the things that we shared. Not just what I lost when they disappeared." Lee nodded._

_"Do you think that you could teach me to do the same Naruto?" He shook his head._

_"I can't Lee. It's not that I don't want to, but it's something every person has to discover for themselves. You have to take all the good memories, and let use those to remember them, instead of remembering everything negative." Lee nodded._

_"I will try my best Naruto-san. But, why did you come here now?" Naruto gave him one of the sad smiles he seemed to be using so frequently._

_"I thought I'd remember them all one last time." Before Lee could ask what he meant he had started to leave. "Next time I see you Lee, I wanna know that you're remembering your friends through good memories!" Lee smiled through tears as Naruto left._

---End Flashback---

Jiraiya nodded as Lee looked at the stone. "Do you know what he meant by those words Lee?"

"Which words?"

"I thought I'd remember them all one last time. It sounds like he never planned to come back again. Do you know why?" Lee looked away.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you Jiraiya-sama. However, I'm sure Tenten can direct you where to go. This talk has reminded me of what today is." Lee started to leave the field. He turned to say something, decided against it and continued walking. Jiraiya was left alone in front of the stone. He sighed.

_"There's only one person left to ask. Hishimura Tenten… If she can't help me with this, I don't know who can."_

---Break---

Tenten stood behind the counter of her store, half-asleep. She was suddenly startled when the bell on the door rang. Looking up, "Jiraiya-sama! What brings you here?"

"I'm looking for information concerning Uzumaki Naruto. Can you please tell me about the last time you saw him?" Tenten nodded.

"It was two years ago. He came to this shop to pick up a package…"

---Flashback---

_Tenten turned as the door opened to Hishimura Weapons. She was surprised to see Naruto standing there._

_"Naruto? What are you doing here?"_

_He turned to look at her. "I'm just picking up a package I ordered from your Dad some weeks ago." Tenten nodded. "Plus I wanted to ask you something." Tenten was startled. She didn't know Naruto that well, so Naruto asking her for something was quite a surprise. _

_"What is it?"_

_"I want you to look after Neji and Lee. I'm afraid that without me around those two are going to lose it." Naruto chuckled, but Tenten was merely confused._

_"Naruto, what are you talking about?" Naruto just smiled at Tenten. He didn't have to be ashamed of what he was going to do with Tenten. She didn't know him, she didn't have to suffer._

_"I'm only going to tell this to you Tenten. You're the only who can bear it seeing as how you have the least connection to me." Tenten's eyes seemed to bore into his soul with her attentive gaze. It was that look of rapture and attention that he was able to command from Tenten that made him change his mind. "I'm going to be leaving for a mission soon. And, I don't expect to come back." _

_Tenten was shocked; she hadn't expected Naruto to be taking on a suicide mission. "What… how… how can you do this! You can't just go off taking on solo suicide missions! Why would you do something so stupid…?" Naruto was shocked by Tenten's concern for him. _

_"Tenten… I'm not going alone. Gaara will be there. And so will Yugito. You don't need to worry about me. We're going to be fine." Tenten just nodded. She knew from experience how strong Gaara was, and Yugito was powerful in her own right. She didn't seem to find it strange that a shinobi from Cloud was aiding shinobi from Konoha and Suna…_

_"Alright Naruto… Just don't go getting yourself killed or anything. You've always managed to break expectations before." _

_"Yeah… I guess so… And Tenten, please don't tell anyone else about this, alright?" Tenten frowned for a moment but nodded. Naruto smiled as he walked out of the store._

_---_End Flashback---

Jiraiya stared at Tenten. "He didn't plan to come back?"

"No. He said he didn't. But, I expected him to. You know how he is." Jiraiya nodded his head. He was becoming rather tired and wished to just figure out where Naruto was.

"Alright. Can you just tell me who I need to talk to now?" Tenten just gave him a curious look.

"Go to the front of the Hokage Tower. I think you'll find what you're looking for there. Excuse me; I need to lock up shop now." Shooing Jiraiya out, Tenten locked the door.

Jiraiya, not believing he had been forced out so quickly, turned around to yell, but instead of a well kept shop, there was only a run-down empty building. The words "Hishimura Weapons" were worn and faded. The inside of the building was coated in dust and empty. Jiraiya took a step back and shook his head. He had no idea what was happening. He turned and started to run. He had to know.

---Break---

Jiraiya arrived in the field where the Memorial stone stood. Only now, many more names decorated its face. It looked older and worn, and the grass was more unkempt. The familiar footfalls where Lee and Kakashi had once stood were no longer present. Jiraiya couldn't believe it. He had been here no more than an hour ago. He began to run once more. Willing his feet to carry him fast enough.

---Break---

Jiraiya arrived at the Hyuuga Manor. Instead of the grand splendor in which he expected to see it, it was ragged and torn. The whitewash was stained brown and black, and part of the complex had been burned down. Not a single living soul was to be seen. The lawn was feet high, signifying years of disuse and bad care. The iron gates were rusted and stiff. Jiraiya was beginning to become frantic. Something was wrong here. Very wrong.

---Break---

Arriving at the Aburame Compound Jiraiya was pleased to see it was still in fairly good condition. It could use a bit of care, but it was still in a decent shape. Coming up to the house that had belonged to Shino, Jiraiya knocked on the door. He waited, but no one came to answer the door. Jiraiya slowly eased it open. Peering inside, he found a well kept but seemingly deserted home. Slowly walking through, he eventually came to the Hives. Peering inside, he found thousands upon thousands of deceased Kikai bugs. It was then that Jiraiya remembered that Kikai could live for up to eighteen months without a host. The Kikai had only recently died. Jiraiya was slowly realizing his fears. He turned and left Shino's home. He only had a few more places to go.

---Break---

Checking around the Inuzuka compound, Jiraiya found no life once more. It was devoid of any form of life. Jiraiya couldn't figure out how Konoha had suddenly become a lifeless husk. It was as if he had suddenly disappeared for years, and then suddenly returned to the ruins that were Konoha. Jiraiya turned and headed for the field where he met Shikamaru.

---Break---

Jiraiya arrived at the field to find it filled with high grass and weeds. There was no sign of people nearby. The giant Konoha Redbarks, that grew incredibly fast, blocked out any light that would reach the clearing. Only dim green filtered light made its way there. Jiraiya turned his back on the now sullen scene, and headed for the restaurant Chouji had so often frequented.

---Break---

To Jiraiya's horror, the restaurant had shut down over a year and a half ago. Similar to Ichiraku Ramen. Almost as if it had lost its best business. Turning away from it, Jiraiya knew he only had one place left to go.

---Break---

Jiraiya came to the Yamanaka flower shop. Its look mimicked that of the other buildings. Desolate and gray. Its once beautiful and color-filled interior was now dust coated and decrepit. However, lying alone on a counter was a single splash of color. Jiraiya remembered it as the place Ino had stood when he spoke to her. Lying on the table was an orange and blue rose. Although its surroundings had faded, its color and meaning hadn't dimmed in the slightest. Jiraiya turned away and headed for the one place he hoped to find answers. In front of the Hokage Tower.

---Break---

Coming to a rest in front of the Hokage Tower, Jiraiya spotted a large obsidian monument that he couldn't recall ever seeing before. However, as he walked towards it, his foot hit something. Picking it up, he discovered it was a book. A book detailing what had happened in the past two years. Reading through, Jiraiya found that Akatsuki had been annihilated two years ago. However, they had destroyed four of the major shinobi countries and many of the smaller ones before they had been stopped. Once they had, Konoha had fallen into decline. After only a month of attempting to survive on its own, Konoha fell to internal strife and conflict.

Jiraiya dropped the book. How had he not been around for this? With his head turned towards the ground he began to weep. Looking up one last time, he found a multitude of people in front of him. They began to part as he walked towards the monument. On either side he saw each of the people he had visited. First was Tenten. She spoke to him softly.

"Because he taught each of us something. You can never go by yourself. Your friends will always follow you." Stepping back, he saw Lee next.

"Because although we mourn the deaths of those close to us, we must remember them as they were in life. Not in death." Jiraiya watched as Lee stepped aside. Neji was on his other side.

"Knowledge is the only truly everlasting gift." As he moved aside, Hinata emerged from the other side.

"Love is blind to all, and we can only accept its truths. But even in acceptance, defiance never dies." She smiled as she moved aside. Shino moved forwards next.

"You can accomplish great things by yourself. But only with friends can you accomplish miracles." Stepping back, Kiba emerged from the throng next.

"Although your friends may leave you, they'll always be with you in your heart." As Kiba melded back into the infinite faces, Shikamaru appeared.

"Life isn't worth living companionship. And without Companionship, you're bound to lose yourself." As Shikamaru stepped back, Chouji came forward.

"Before you can begin to accomplish anything, you must have the utmost faith in yourself." As Chouji moved, Sakura stepped forward.

"Although our pasts are defined, our futures have yet to be determined." As she moved aside, Jiraiya finally came face to face with the large Obsidian monument. He could see slightly worn text carved into the black stone. It had proved durable to the tests of time. Jiraiya slowly read over it.

**In Dedication to the Memory of the One, the Only**

**Uzumaki Naruto**

**A Friend, a Fighter, a Lover, a Hero.**

**In Thanks for his Never-Ending Dedication**

**And Sacrifice of his life**

**To End the Reign of the Dreaded Akatsuki**

**The People of Konoha**

**Extend Their Deepest Gratitude**

**And Their Greatest Apologies.**

Jiraiya fell to his knees as he read the inscription. Naruto had sacrificed his life to destroy every member of Akatsuki. Jiraiya began to cry until he heard a voice behind him. Turning he saw something he never thought he would.

Naruto stood in front of Jiraiya, a soft smile playing on his lips. His arm was around the waist of one Yamanaka Ino, a bright smile on her face as she held herself close to Naruto. Holding her hair out of her hair was a trimmed-stem orange and blue rose. She turned towards Jiraiya.

"Because Love is the strongest power of all." Naruto extended a hand to Jiraiya's crouched form.

"Come on Jiraiya. It's time to go." Jiraiya reached up, and accepted the hand. Naruto pulled Jiraiya to his feet and began walking away with him by his side, Ino on his other. As they walked, the other people slowly began to disappear one by one. When they reached the end of the throng, Naruto smiled at Jiraiya. Jiraiya's form slowly faded away until there was nothing left. Turning once more towards Ino.

"Are you ready to leave?" Ino just smiled at him.

"As long as it's with you."

The two figures slowly began to disappear as they embraced each other. They lips locked forever in a passionate kiss of love and devotion.

Lying in front of the Memorial, the body of Jiraiya lay. A calm and peaceful smile adorning his features. A restless soul was finally given peace.

And behind Jiraiya's body the forms of Naruto and Ino slowly finished disappearing. And if one looked very closely, they could see them whisper to each other in their finally seconds there, "I love you, now, and forever."

---The End---

It was long, and it took a while. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was interesting to write, but I loved every minute of it. So, if you would please be so kind, leave a review. I love them. Until next time~

Signed,

MJS The Eternal Thief

Story Stats:

Pages: 31

Words: 13,862

Characters (No spaces): 62,101

Characters (With spaces): 75,966

Paragraphs: 341

Lines: 1,406


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